Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-07-28
Miscellaneous News.
CurINTo fITTLE pIECEs.
Frightful Catastrophe on the Eric
Railroad.

cident occurred on tue Erie railroad DC
tween Allendale and uohokus this fore
noon. 1t was evidently the result o.
neglect and caused the death of fittetI
men.
A gang OF Italians were nc wo,l
balasting on the railroad little dis
tance from a sharp curve about three
fourths Of a mile above Hohokus.
The Chicago express, which was due
an hour before, had not arrived, and
these men whose foreman should have
given warning whistle when the tram
was approaching the sharp curve, were
busy at work unconscious OF the terrible
fate which was in store for them.
Train No. u, the express which WAS
due an hour previoas, rushed round the
curve before the men had the slightest
warning, and dashed through them
Killing twelve on the spot and wound
ing many others. The shrieks Of the
victims was heartrending, and when
the train slowed up the tracks pre-
sented the sickening sight of being COW
cred with mangled bodies, the rails be-
ing spattered with blood and broken
limbs, and pieces of ragged flesh being
scattered in all directions.
Some of the bodies Were mangled be-
yond description and crushed out of all
semblance to humanity. To most of the
victims deathm have come instanta-
neously, but some of them appeared to
be yet quivering and life ebbing away
when the train was brought to a stand
sill.
Mr.. w. T.. Hudson, a passenger
which was on local train behind the
Chicago express, in conversation with a
reporter, described the scene as ore the
of most sichening that could be wit.
messed.
"Along the tracks," he said "were
arms, legs, trunks, and other parts of
bodies and tracks for long distance
were slippery with blood. The disas-
ter took place with such appalling sud-
denness that men did not know till the
train was down on them, The conduc-
tor Of the train on which l rode said
that the train hands of the express
were not to blame. He believed the
foreman of the gang was responsible
for the disaster by neglecting to give
warning.
A train was up on its way from New
York, and the Italians had all crowded
over the down track. Many of them
had their backs turned, ani all were
ignorant of the coming OF the big en-
giue which drew the Chicago express.
Suddenly the express. which was De-
hind time swept around the 9"
eu' VIC anu u'Oiieu into Inc 4arp
1t literally move" ass of mon
singing tho -, u,r tbrop,b
tear'- -, ,of,
..ug legs and arms and heads of and
grinding flesh into the roadbed for two
or three hundred feet.
So fierce was the shock that, although
the engine struck nothing but human
beings, the powerful cowcatcher was
torn, twisted and broken into pieces.
Some of the Italians were crowded in
against the rocks, very narrow space,
and crouched down in terror.
The engineer of the express reversed
his engine and was coming to a stop
when the passengers told him to go a
head. Looking back they saw the un
injured Italians acting like maniacs.
They were yelling, gesticulating and
tearing their clothes. Some were kneel-
ing and others dashing about in the
middle Of the ghastly pile of maneled
bodies. When they saw the train stop
ping they made a rush for it and lad
they reached it undoubtedly the en-
gineer, firemen and conductor would
have been murdered. For this reason
it was deemed best to go on to jersey
City, where the engineer and conduc-
tor were closeted with the officers OF
the road and away from where they
could be interviewed.
Passengers on the the following train
had an awful sight when they reached
the scene. All along the track were
pieces Of flesh, legs, arms, hands ant
heads, while the roadbed was mass OF
of blood. Here and there scattered were
pieces of red handkerchiefs, trousers
coats and hats. Those of the Italians
who escaped with their lives had dis
appeared. Some of them took to the
woods and others fed toward Hohokus.
1t is now believed many of them me
demented, the awful suddenness of the
slaughter and the deadly work of the
big engine Grazing them. 1t is impossi-
BILE to glye their names, for they like other
gangs Of their countrymen emplyed on
similar work are known not by names
but by numbers.
The engineer of the train in a state
ment made when he first reached
New Jersey City and which was veri-
fed by a number of passengers, says
before he reached the curve he blew g
warning whistle, not knowing, how
eyer, that any people were on the track.
The moment his train had turned the
curve, be saw the Italians huddled like
"a flock of sheep on the very track bis
engine was on. They had got there tc
avoid train coming from New York
city, and had their backs turned to the
0XDresS He tried hard to stOD his